Mechanism for raising or lowering buggy-tops.



No. 643,!32. Patented Feb. l3, I900.

C. R. HESSELTINE. MECHANISM FOR RAISING 0B LOWERING BUGGY TOPS.

(Application filed Dec. 7, 1898..)

(No Modai.)

4 mmmlmlmmmmmmxg MWIWWUHW ilnrrnn STATES PATENT (M nion,

CHARLES R. I-IESSELTINE, OF CRESTON, WVASIIINGTON.

MECHANISM FOR RAISING OR LOWER ING BUGGY-TOPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,132, dated, February 13, 1900. Application filed December 7,1898. $erial No. 698,585. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. HnssELrINn, a citizen of the United States,residin g at Creston, in the county of Lincoln, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Raising or Lowering Buggy-Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to buggy-tops in general, and more particularly to the raising and lowering mechanism thereof, and has for its object to provide such a construction as will enable the raising and lowering of the buggytop by an occupant of the buggy without requirin g any inconvenience whatever.

With this object in view my invention con.- sists in an arrangement of levers so connected with respect to the supporting toggle-levers of the buggy-top as by their manipulation the toggle-levers may be broken and the top lowered, such mechanism extending within the buggy, so as to be readily manipulated.

In the drawingforming a portion of this specification I have shown a perspective view of a buggy-top equipped with mechanism above referred to.

Referring now to the drawing, 1 represents an ordinary box of a buggy having the usual seat 2, provided with side boards 3, to which side boards are secured the usual brackets 4, having extensions 5 and 6. To the extensions 5 is pivoted the usual upright 7, which upright extends to the frame of the top 8 of the buggy in the usual manner, such top having a covering, as shown. The front iron 9 of the frame, which is U-shaped, has the extremities of its legs pivoted at 10 near the bases of the uprights 7, at which points are also pivoted the extremities of the legs of the rear iron 11, which iron extends to the top in the usual manner.

Extending from the projection 6 of each bracket 4 to a point midway of the side of the top 8 is a toggle-lever, comprising elements 12 and 13, pivotally connected at 14, the upper end of the element 13 having pivotal connection with the extremity of the adjacent element 15 of a second toggle-lever, comprising a second element 16, pivoted to the firstmedium of a link 23, which link has an adjustable connection with the element 13 through the medium of a clamp 24, pivoted to the end of the link and engaging the element 13. The opposite end of the lever 20 extends normally substan tially parallel with the toggle elements 15 and 16, and pivoted to its extremity is a rod 25, extending downwardly and having pivotal connection at 26 with the end 27 of a bellcranklever 28,'adapted to turn in trunnions 29, secured to the seat 2 or other convenient portion of the buggy. The bell-crank lever 28 is provided with a handle 29, to which is attached a helical spring 30, extending to a point beneath the seat 2, which spring holds the lever in such a position normally as to prevent accidental breaking of the toggle-levers and a consequent lowering of the buggy-top.

A yoke 32, inclosing the element 15, is attached to the rod 25, so that when the rod is reciprocated the lever comprising elements 15 and 16 will be operated in the same manner as when by hand to break the lever.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The bugg top being raised, as shown in the drawing, and it being desired to lower the top, the handle 29 is rocked upwardly, when the ends 27 of the lever are drawn downwardly and therewith the rods 25. The rods being thus drawn, the lovers 20 are rocked, drawing the links 23 upwardly and therewith the toggle elements 13. In this way the pivotal14 are drawn outside the centers of gravity of their toggle-levers, when such lovers will immediately collapse. At the same time the yoke 32, operating the element 15, moves the pivotal connection 17 downwardly and the top is lowered.

It will be readily understood that I may employ my invention in connection with any form of carriage-top to which it is applicable and that, moreover, I may vary the specific construction and arrangement herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a buggy-top, the combination with the supporting toggle-levers, of a pivoted rock lever having connections with one element of a toggle-lever, a rod having connections with the rock-lever for operating it, a bell-crank lever having connections with the said rod and means for holding said bell-crank lever normally in a predetermined position.

2. In a buggy-top a combination with the supporting toggle-levers at one side of the top, one element of each of the said levers having a common pivot, of a pivoted rocklever having connections at its ends, with the commonly-pivoted toggle elements, a rod connected with the rock-lever and means for 20 holding said rod in a predetermined position.

3. In a buggy-top a combination with the In testimony whereof I affix my signature 30 in presence of two Witnesses.

- CHARLES R. HESSELTINE.

Witnesses:

J. B. LE OOMPTE, J. J. Donn. 

